I wonder if any of you old time shavers want to share your experience with us

For how many shaves would you expect your shaving brush to last ?

Be it a boar brush, a badger - and then of course trying to taking into account the different types of grades of badger hair, the loft on the brush, the density, the knot size and whether you bowl or face lather and also trying to take into account that some bash the brush harder than others while creating the lather, in a bowl, in your palm or on your face.

My guess is that on average a shaving brush should last at least 250+ shaves before it starts to decline a little bit in quality, but the average person will not notice that and probably think the brush is usable for 1000+ shaves without loss of any quality in the shaving experience.

I expect mine to last at least 10-15 years, so that is 3500-5500 shaves. As long as you take care of them, I see no reason they shouldn't last that long if they're made well. I do prefer to use circular motions and moderate "aggression" when working up a lather..so that might kill some of their longevity according to some sources.

I have had in my hands shaving brushes that were used for 30 years, daily. One I remember well (my first restore!!) had major hair loss, and the middle was nearly completely gone - guess this person did use a lot of pressure. Then I saw a brush that was also used for 30 year, very good taken car of, well washed and rinsed out, and the person did not use any force. Both worked well for 10000+ shaves each.

Almost all my brushes are vintage Simpsons and Rooneys. I figure I have about another 15 years of shaving left in my life, and at 350 shaves per year (taking 15 days off from shaving) that's 5250 shaves. Since I have about 100 brushes, that comes out to around 52 more shaves per brush. They won't even be close to being worn out....

(02-01-2013, 09:37 AM)churchilllafemme Wrote: Since I have about 100 brushes....

Good Gracious, John! I am green with envy....
My dad had an old Marvey Badger brush that I got for my 18th birthday and he had it since around 1950, which I still use once in a great while. It's losing some hairs now, but it's probably been used around 10000 times so I am completely amazed at the longevity. In comparison he gave me a worthless Vulfix brush he got in 1978...the bristles were all broken and falling out. I traded it some years ago for a new Handle..so mileage really does vary.